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Why The Story Of Frankenstein Still Burns Bright (Arrr)

Pixabay
Boris Karloff as Frankenstein's monster.

Paint your skin green, stagger around like your joints hurt, and make sounds like "arrrrr!" and people will generally get it: you're Frankenstein's monster.  Dr. Frankenstein's creation is actually 200 years old this year; Mary Shelley's little book came out in early 1818. 

And yet we still make new movies and plays and even musicals about the mad scientist and his creation of life from death. 

Ashland author Tod Davies has some ideas about the durability of the characters and story.  She talks about the "Monster Hit" in a lecture coming up at Southern Oregon University's library (May 10).  Tod comes back to the studio for a visit on the Frankenstein family. 

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Geoffrey Riley is a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism and has hosted the Jefferson Exchange on JPR since 2009. He's been a broadcaster in the Rogue Valley for more than 35 years, working in both television and radio.
April Ehrlich is an editor and reporter at Oregon Public Broadcasting. Prior to joining OPB, she was a news host and regional reporter at Jefferson Public Radio.